"We the people, in order to form a more perfect union…”; the words that preface our Constitution. Over 200 years ago, some very smart and brave men sacrificed everything, many their lives, when they signed a document that separated our country from every other country on Earth. Every Veteran raises his right hand and swears(or affirms) to uphold the unique ideals contained in this very special document. We swore to uphold a principle, a principle of self governance. All citizens of this great country have god given natural rights, not privileges granted from a king or a dictator. Our armed forces have not only protected our shores but have been a force for liberty throughout the world, coming to the aid of oppressed people time and time again. For everyone that has stepped up to the plate and taken the oath to place an ideal ahead of self interest, I'm honored to be among your ranks. God bless each and every one of you and may this great country remain a testament to your faithful and honorable service. You are all great Americans!

Maybe it's because it's more of an international board, Yanks, or people were out doing stuff.

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Or maybe they were put off by the more naive, jingoistic, and whitewashing elements of his little speech but at the same time didn't want to say anything that could be wrongly construed as being critical of veterans --rather than the policies they are often asked to enforce, which aren't always about handing out puppies and rainbows like the OP suggests-- on a day of remembrance.

There's thanking military vets for their service and remembering those who have died and then there's idolizing them. There's thinking the military is a necessary function that often does some good and then there's naively imagining that everything they do is about spreading freedom and protecting the American people from imminent threats. The OP came off a shade too far to the latter side of both for my tastes, and I imagine it did for some others too.

Or maybe they were put off by the more naive, jingoistic, and whitewashing elements of his little speech but at the same time didn't want to say anything that could be wrongly construed as being critical of veterans --rather than the policies they are often asked to enforce, which aren't always about handing out puppies and rainbows like the OP suggests-- on a day of remembrance.

There's thanking military vets for their service and remembering those who have died and then there's idolizing them. There's thinking the military is a necessary function that often does some good and then there's naively imagining that everything they do is about spreading freedom and protecting the American people from imminent threats. The OP came off a shade too far to the latter side of both for my tastes, and I imagine it did for some others too.

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The OP suggests no such thing. You seem to misconstrew the policy makers with Veterans. (as most naive people do)

And why should that keep someone from posting?

WWI
WWII
Korea
Vietman
Gulf War I
Iraq
Afghanistan

All liberating folks from tryanny.

...and then the countless times the US Military has been called on to provide aid to countries and people in need. Currently the Phillipines.

Or maybe they were put off by the more naive, jingoistic, and whitewashing elements of his little speech but at the same time didn't want to say anything that could be wrongly construed as being critical of veterans --rather than the policies they are often asked to enforce, which aren't always about handing out puppies and rainbows like the OP suggests-- on a day of remembrance.

There's thanking military vets for their service and remembering those who have died and then there's idolizing them. There's thinking the military is a necessary function that often does some good and then there's naively imagining that everything they do is about spreading freedom and protecting the American people from imminent threats. The OP came off a shade too far to the latter side of both for my tastes, and I imagine it did for some others too.

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The OP suggests no such thing. You seem to misconstrew the policy makers with Veterans. (as most naive people do)

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Before you call someone naive due to your poor reading comprehension, you might want to make sure they didn't use those precise words in their own very short post. Here, I'll highlight it for you:

Or maybe they were put off by the more naive, jingoistic, and whitewashing elements of his little speech but at the same time didn't want to say anything that could be wrongly construed as being critical of veterans --rather than the policies they are often asked to enforce, which aren't always about handing out puppies and rainbows like the OP suggests-- on a day of remembrance.

I very clearly separated the veterans themselves from the policies (and by extension the policy makers) they are asked to enforce.

And why should that keep someone from posting?

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It shouldn't. You're free to post your thread as is, or preferably in a less jingoistic form that just asks to remember those who gave their lives and thanks veterans for their service, which you acknowledged too. It just got clouded a bit by the "America, Fuck Yeah!" message you tacked on, which I was pointing out as a possible explanation for why there weren't more replies when you inquired about that.

WWI
WWII
Korea
Vietman
Gulf War I
Iraq
Afghanistan

All liberating folks from tryanny.

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Oy vey. That's such an ignorant, simplistic, or flat-out wrong interpretation of events in regard to most of those examples that I don't even know where to begin.

...and then the countless times the US Military has been called on to provide aid to countries and people in need. Currently the Phillipines.

I don't see what's wrong with recognizing that.

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That's a great and worthwhile function they provide, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with recognizing that. But as I mentioned, if that had been all you said along with thanking vets for their service and remembering their sacrifice, I wouldn't have said anything. That's one of the "often does good" points that I acknowledged in my post.

Before you call someone naive due to your poor reading comprehension, you might want to make sure they didn't use those precise words in their own very short post. Here, I'll highlight it for you:

Or maybe they were put off by the more naive, jingoistic, and whitewashing elements of his little speech but at the same time didn't want to say anything that could be wrongly construed as being critical of veterans --rather than the policies they are often asked to enforce, which aren't always about handing out puppies and rainbows like the OP suggests-- on a day of remembrance.

I very clearly separated the veterans themselves from the policies (and by extension the policy makers) they are asked to enforce.

It shouldn't. You're free to post your thread as is, or preferably in a less jingoistic form that just asks to remember those who gave their lives and thanks veterans for their service, which you acknowledged too. It just got clouded a bit by the "America, Fuck Yeah!" message you tacked on, which I was pointing out as a possible explanation for why there weren't more replies when you inquired about that.

Or maybe they were put off by the more naive, jingoistic, and whitewashing elements of his little speech but at the same time didn't want to say anything that could be wrongly construed as being critical of veterans --rather than the policies they are often asked to enforce, which aren't always about handing out puppies and rainbows like the OP suggests-- on a day of remembrance.

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Pretty much. Last time I commented on Yank's posts about American military engagements, I got told to shut up and thank him (not the veterans, him) because America single-handedly defeated Nazism. So, yeah, I was somehow shy of responding to his little ID:4 speech, especially when it could be construed as hating on American vets.

Let's see, insulting random countries and implying that anyone who does not share your blind support of war is a dirty furriner (which obviously is intended as an insult by itself). And you wonder why you post didn't receive many replies. But of course, it must be because there are no real Americans here.

And you'll have a hard time justifying that folks weren't liberated from tyranny in all those conflicts. Yes, even in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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By "liberating", you mean exchanging one tyrannical system for another with the only difference being the newer system is more pro-American. No surprise the American definition of democracy is rule by the rich and powerful in the guise of populism. Can't go wrong there.

Is "Happy Veterans Day" actually appropriate? War veterans have seen some serious shit, I don't think those are very fond memories.

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I asked this question to myself the other day, but it was more along the lines of should we consider it a "holiday". Yeah we are celebrating Veterans and what they do to protect us, but we are also remembering those who died. I think what I decided is it's like Memorial Day. It's not a holiday, but it's a day of reflection and thought.

I asked this question to myself the other day, but it was more along the lines of should we consider it a "holiday". Yeah we are celebrating Veterans and what they do to protect us, but we are also remembering those who died. I think what I decided is it's like Memorial Day. It's not a holiday, but it's a day of reflection and thought.

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How is that mutually exclusive with it being a holiday though? Calling a day a "holiday" doesn't have to mean you'll be throwing a party and having fun. A day of somber remembrance and giving thanks is perfectly in keeping with it being a holiday, and is more closely related to the etymology of the word anyway.

By "liberating", you mean exchanging one tyrannical system for another with the only difference being the newer system is more pro-American. No surprise the American definition of democracy is rule by the rich and powerful in the guise of populism. Can't go wrong there.

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It is true that if the locals chose to keep a form of government based on religious factions that is sad. IMO they have a pretty good example to follow in the US.

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I have no idea who iguanna_tonante is, what board or what "conversation" he is referring to. As my screenname remains the same everywhere, it appears that your does not. ST.com? "ID:4 speech"? "hating on Americans"? "blind support of war"?

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There are a few people in this topic who appear to have bitter, bitter lives and have obviously been damaged in their life experience. I can only hope you find peace. As the U.S. Constitution guarantees your Right to rant, you're welcome.

I asked this question to myself the other day, but it was more along the lines of should we consider it a "holiday". Yeah we are celebrating Veterans and what they do to protect us, but we are also remembering those who died. I think what I decided is it's like Memorial Day. It's not a holiday, but it's a day of reflection and thought.

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How is that mutually exclusive with it being a holiday though? Calling a day a "holiday" doesn't have to mean you'll be throwing a party and having fun. A day of somber remembrance and giving thanks is perfectly in keeping with it being a holiday, and is more closely related to the etymology of the word anyway.

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I've always thought of "holiday" as a day of celebration, which is something I don't attribute to Memorial Day or Veterans Day. Honestly, I didn't know there was more to the word "Holiday" than that so that's something I'm probably going to rethink.

There are a few people in this topic who appear to have bitter, bitter lives and have obviously been damaged in their life experience. I can only hope you find peace. As the U.S. Constitution guarantees your Right to rant, you're welcome.

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Wow, you're like some sort of hybrid analyst/therapist. Possibly the world's first. Now we just have to come up with a catchy portmanteau to describe your field there, Sigmund Fraud.

I'm sure the original intent of Veteran's Day was to have veterans going around presuming or demanding thanks from people, so congratulations on nailing the meaning of the day and expressing it in the least arrogant way possible once again.